System for accessing multimedia files from a mobile terminal

ABSTRACT

The system enables a user of mobile terminal (T 1 ) to store and access to numerous multimedia files with no limit on size relative to the capacities of his mobile terminal. A sorting centre or a web server (CTM, SW) detects a multimedia file (FM) in a message (MT 2 ) transmitted by a second terminal (T 2 ) in order to extract therefrom an address (AT 1 ) of the mobile terminal, a text block (BT) and a detected multimedia file (FM). A storing space (SSM) stores the extracted multimedia file in corresponding relationship with the extracted address (AT 1 ). The sorting centre or a web server establishes a notification command (CN) including the address (AT 1 ) and the text block (BT). A notification server (SN) transmits a storage notification (NSFM) including the text file (BT) to the terminal (T 1 ).

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of the PCT International ApplicationNo. PCT/FR04/02274 filed Sep. 08, 2004, which is based on the FrenchApplication No. 0310716 filed Sep. 11, 2003.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a system and a method for access tomultimedia files from a first mobile radiotelephone terminal when themultimedia files have been sent to the latter by another terminal. Themultimedia file may be sent in the form of an electronic mail (e-mail)message or by a multimedia messaging service (MMS) application or by aweb client-server type application.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The addressee of the multimedia file using the first mobile terminalaccesses the multimedia file either using a personal computer connectedto the Internet network to read it in his electronic mail system ordirectly from his mobile terminal in the case of an MMS message. Whenthe multimedia file is transmitted by an MMS message, that is to say inthe form of a “multimedia short message”, the multimedia file is notstored in the telecommunication network but memorized directly in themobile terminal after transmission via the GSM or GSM/GPRS type mobileradiotelephone network serving the mobile terminal.

The larger the size of the multimedia file, the more lengthy and costlyis the transmission of a multimedia file over the radiotelephone accessnetwork of the mobile terminal. Furthermore, storage capacities inmobile terminals being generally limited, the user of the mobileterminal is obliged to delete the multimedia files as and when themobile terminal has received them. If a multimedia file is transmittedby electronic mail, the user of the mobile terminal must have a personalcomputer available and configure it correctly to receive electronic mailwith multimedia files transmitted by other users.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to enable a mobile terminal userto store and to access numerous multimedia files with no limit on sizerelative to the storage capacities of his mobile terminal in order to bepermanently able to consult, or even recover, multimedia filestransmitted by other users.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To achieve this object, a system for access to multimedia files througha telecommunication network from a mobile radiotelephone terminal forwhich are intended messages, each message including an address of themobile terminal and a multimedia file transmitted by second terminals,the system including a server for detecting a multimedia file in amessage transmitted by the second terminal in order to extract therefromthe address of the mobile terminal and the detected multimedia file, tostore the multimedia file extracted from the message in storage means,and notification means for transmitting a multimedia file storagenotification to the mobile terminal identified by the address extractedfrom the message,

is characterized in that the storage means is a storage space that isassigned to the user of the mobile terminal and is accessible to themobile terminal through the server in order for the multimedia fileextracted from the message to be stored therein in correspondingrelationship with the address of the mobile terminal extracted from themessage, and in that the mobile terminal accesses the stored multimediafile only if the server has recognized the address of the mobileterminal supplied after the setting up of a connection between themobile terminal and the server.

Access to the file may consist interchangeably in downloading orcontinuous display in accordance with a technique known to the personskilled in the art as “streaming” enabling a file to be accessed beforeit finishes downloading. The example serving to illustrate the inventionwill be file downloading.

The server advantageously comprises

command means for establishing a notification command including theaddress of the mobile terminal and a text block, both extracted from themessage, and

and notification means for transmitting the multimedia file storagenotification including the text block to the mobile terminal identifiedby the address included in the notification command transmitted by thecommand means.

The detection means and the command means may be in a message sortingcenter connected to an access network to which the second terminal isconnected directly, or in a web server accessible to the secondterminals through a high bit rate packet network via an access network.

Instead of transmitting the multimedia file directly to the mobileterminal using the previous technique, the access system of theinvention intercepts the multimedia file and stores it in storage meansassigned to the user of the mobile terminal, and then notifies thatstorage to the user of the mobile terminal so that the latter canproceed to download the multimedia file that is stored when he wishes.The storage means may be a storage area in a server dedicated to storingmultimedia files and accessible to the mobile terminal through a webserver. The multimedia file is transmitted from the storage means to themobile terminal either through the radiotelephone network to which themobile terminal belongs or through a station connected to the Internetnetwork and having a short-range connection with the mobile terminal.

The system of the invention frees the memory of the mobile terminal frommemorizing excessively large multimedia files or multimedia files thathave already been read and gives access to the storage means through ahigh bit rate connection that may be connected to the short-rangeconnection station for the mobile terminal.

The invention concerns also a method for access to multimedia filesthrough a telecommunication network from a mobile radiotelephoneterminal for which are intended messages, each message including anaddress of the mobile terminal and a multimedia file transmitted bysecond terminals, the method including through the telecommunicationnetwork the steps of:

detecting a multimedia file in a message transmitted by the secondterminal in order to extract therefrom the address of the mobileterminal and the detected multimedia file,

storing the multimedia file extracted from the message, and

notifying multimedia file storage by a notification including theidentity of the second terminal transmitted to the mobile terminalidentified by the address included in the notification command,

the method being characterized in that the by an assignment of a storagespace accessible to the mobile terminal through the telecommunicationnetwork in order for the multimedia file extracted from the message tobe stored therein in corresponding relationship with the address of themobile terminal extracted from the message, and the mobile terminalaccesses the stored multimedia file only if the address of the mobileterminal supplied after the setting up of a connection between themobile terminal and the server is recognized.

The method may comprise downloading in the mobile terminal or from themobile terminal of a multimedia file that is stored in correspondingrelationship to the extracted address in storage means assigned to themobile terminal, via a server through a radiotelephone network to whichthe mobile terminal belongs if the mobile terminal is not detected by astation having a short-range connection with the mobile terminal, andthrough the station if the mobile terminal is detected by the station.

Another object of the invention is also to provide the storage servercharacterized in that said storage means is a storage space that isassigned to the user of the mobile terminal and that is accessible tothe mobile terminal through the server in order for the multimedia fileextracted from the message to be stored therein in correspondingrelationship with the address of the mobile terminal extracted from themessage, the mobile terminal accessing the stored multimedia file onlyif the server has recognized the address of the mobile terminal suppliedafter the setting up of a connection between the mobile terminal and theserver.

Finally, the invention relates to a computer program adapted to beimplemented in a storage server, said program including programinstructions, which, when the program is executed in said server, carryout the following steps:

detecting a multimedia file in a message transmitted by the secondterminal in order to extract therefrom the address of the mobileterminal and the detected multimedia file,

storing the multimedia file extracted from the message,

notifying multimedia file storage by a notification including theidentity of the second terminal and transmitted to the mobile terminalidentified by the address, and

access the stored multimedia file only if the web server has recognizedthe address of the mobile terminal supplied after the setting up of aconnection between the mobile terminal and the web server.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent moreclearly from the reading of the following description of severalpreferred embodiments of the invention, given by way of nonlimitingexamples and with reference to the corresponding accompanying drawingsin which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a multimedia file access system of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is an algorithm of a multimedia file transmission method of theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a multimedia file recovery method algorithm of the invention;and

FIG. 4 is a multimedia file storage method algorithm of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows essential means of a system of the invention for accessingmultimedia files between a first mobile radiotelephone terminal T1 of auser who is the addressee of multimedia files and a second terminal T2of a second user who may be any sender of multimedia messages.Nevertheless, the essential means shown in FIG. 1 are used so that aplurality of second users transmit from second terminals multimediadocuments respectively intended for a plurality of first users each ofwhom has at least one first mobile radiotelephone terminal.

The essential means of the access system are connected mainly through ageneral telecommunication network generally including threetelecommunication networks RA1, RP and RA2.

The network RA1 is a digital cellular radiotelephone network to whichthe first mobile terminal T1 belongs. For example, the radiotelephonenetwork RA1 is a GSM, GSM/GPRS or UMTS network. The mobile terminal T1is designated by an address AT1 consisting of the telephone number ofthe mobile terminal T1 called the mobile user internationalidentification number MSISDN (Mobile Station ISDN Number).

In a complementary variant to which reference will be made in theremainder of the description, the mobile terminal T1 is able tocommunicate with another access network RAF through a station BO and ashort-range connection LP. The station BO constitutes a fixed terminalof the user possessing the first mobile terminal T1 and is installed inthat user's premises. The short-range connection LP between the stationBO and the mobile terminal T1 may be a Bluetooth type radio connectionor a radio connection conforming to the 802.11b (WiFi) standard or theDigital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) standard, or aninfrared link. In practice, the station BO is able to serve via radio orcable short-range connections other terminals such as a personalcomputer, a television and a radio receiver or high fidelity system. Thestation BO and the terminals that are connected to it, in particular themobile user terminal T1, constitute a fixed terminal that is connectedto the access network RAF.

The network RAF may be the switched telephone network or an asymmetricdigital subscriber line (ADSL) type telephone subscriber line that isconnected in particular to the second telecommunication network of thesystem constituting a high bit rate packet network RP such as theInternet.

Alternatively, the station BO is connected directly to a personalcomputer of the user in the form of an integrated card or a modem or aUSB module, for example.

The station BO monitors continually and at regular intervals thepresence of mobile terminals such as the terminal T1 in its short radiorange. If the station BO detects the mobile terminal T1, the station BOis able to trigger actions automatically, such as downloading amultimedia file addressed to the user of the terminal T1.

The third telecommunication network is an access network RA2 connectedto the second terminal T2. When the second terminal T2 of the usersending the multimedia file is a mobile radiotelephone terminal, theaccess network RA2 is the GSM, GSM/GPRS or UMTS type digital cellularradiotelephone network to which the terminal T2 is connected. In anothervariant, the access network RA2 is the switched telephone network orcomprises an ADSL type subscriber line. The terminal T2 may be a fixedtelephone terminal connected to a fixed telephone line, for example apersonal computer on which has been installed an electronic mail(e-mail) application or an application for depositing messages via aclient-server interface.

In the example shown, the means constituting the multimedia file accesssystem of the invention are three in number: multimedia file detectingand notification command establishing means consisting of a messagesorting center CTM or a web server SW, multimedia file storage meansconsisting of a server SSM dedicated to storing multimedia files, and anotification server SN.

The sorting center CTM and the web server SW have equivalent roles inthe detection and switching of multimedia files. One or both of them maytherefore be provided in the access system of the invention.

The sorting center CTM is a server connected directly to the accessnetwork RA2 of the second terminal T2, for example through a mobileservice switching center of the radiotelephone network serving theterminal T2 if the latter is a mobile radiotelephone terminal, orthrough a local office of the public switched telephone network PSTN ifthe terminal T2 is a fixed telephone terminal, or through a high bitrate packet network such as the Internet if the terminal T2 is apersonal computer type terminal capable of transmitting electronic mail(e-mail). The sorting center CTM intercepts all the messages of themultimedia messaging service (MMS) multimedia message type transmittedby the terminal T2 (mobile radiotelephone terminal) or of the electronicmail (e-mail) type transmitted by the terminal T2 (personal computer),for example.

Hereinafter, a message of the MMS or e-mail type including a multimediafile FM transmitted by the second terminal T2 is designated MT2regardless of the terminal type.

The sorting center CTM addressable in this way by any type of secondterminal T2 includes detection means for detecting the possible presenceof a multimedia file FM in a message MT2 transmitted from the terminalT2 to the terminal T1 and which has a size expressed in bytes that isgreater than a minimum size fixed by the operator of the access networkRA1 or by the user of the terminal T1 himself. The multimedia file in amessage MT2 may be an attachment to the body of the message or includedin the body of the message. The sorting center CTM also includes meansfor establishing notification commands CN, where appropriate including atext data block BT.

The web server SW has a role equivalent to the sorting center CTM, ormore generally to the sorting centers associated with the various accessnetworks of the second terminals, since the web server SW is accessibleto any type of second terminal, fixed or mobile, through the InternetRP. The server SW is equally useful to the user of the first terminal T1for accessing, from any terminal connected to the Internet, includingthe mobile terminal T1, a storage space assigned to the user in theserver SSM that has stored multimedia files sent to him and forconsulting, deleting or adding multimedia files in the assigned storagespace from any terminal connected to the Internet, including the mobileterminal T1. Direct depositing of multimedia files in the web server SWusing the browsing functions thereof is similar to any deposition ofmessages to be notified to the terminal T1.

The multimedia file storage server SSM may be of the database managementserver type dedicated to storing multimedia files and connected to thesorting center CTM and to the server SW by dedicated connections.According to another variant, the server SSM is implemented in thesorting center CTM or the web server SW.

The storage space assigned to the user of the terminal T1 is configuredthrough the server SW, in particular in terms of size and directory.That storage space is identified by means of a universal resourcelocator (URL) address relayed by the server SW or the sorting centerCTM. The assigned storage space accessible from the terminal T1 inparticular through the access network RA1 or through the station BO andthe access network RAF may be divided into a private zone ZPR and apublic zone ZPU. The private zone ZPR stores multimedia files of theuser of the terminal T1 inaccessible to other users. The public zone ZPUstores multimedia files, in particular transmitted from the terminal T2,accessible to any other user, preferably subject to validation of apredetermined password MP transmitted by the second terminal T2 andcommunicated beforehand by the user of the terminal T1 to other users.

The storage space, and in particular the public zone ZPU thereof, maycomprise a dedicated album type directory in which are stored multimediafiles such as photos with the JPEG format or conforming to otherstandards, video clips or musical pieces conforming to the MP3 standardor other standards, transmitted by second terminals after validation ofthe password. Access to this album, and generally to the public zoneZPU, may be protected in read and/or write mode by one or morepasswords. An authorized user accesses the storage zone ZPU using thebrowser functions of the web server SW.

The notification server SN is connected to the sorting center CTM and tothe web server SW over dedicated connections through the Internet RP orthrough an intranet. The notification server SN is installed in a shortmessage server connected to a plurality of mobile service switchingcenters of the radiotelephone network RA1 serving the first terminal T1through a gateway network for example such as an integrated servicesdigital network (ISDN), an X.25 type packet transmission network or aSignaling System 7 (SS7) type connection. The multimedia file storagenotifications NSFM established by the server SN are thus encapsulated inshort messages (SM) transmitted by the short message server SC to theterminal T1 through the network RA1. Each notification includes anidentifier ID2 of the user sending a multimedia file, such as the nameof the sending user or at least the address of a terminal of thatsending user, together with the name and the type of the multimedia filethat has been stored and where appropriate a text block BT.

A multimedia file FM of the invention may be static and/or dynamic. Astatic multimedia file contains text and/or a graphic and/or a tableand/or an image. A dynamic multimedia file contains sound, for examplein the form of a musical piece or a voice sequence conforming to the MP3standard or any other standard, a video sequence, and thus may comprisefixed and/or animated contents. The multimedia file may correspond to amultimedia document conforming to the MPEG-7 standard or any otherstandard, from which may be extracted text characteristics of thedocument relating to the title, to the publication date, to the author,to the producer of the document, which can then be recovered by thesorting center CTM or the server SW in order to introduce them by way ofmultimedia document description into a notification command CN and theninto a notification NSFM.

Three methods of implementing the multimedia file access system of theinvention are described hereinafter by way of example.

A first method relates to the transmission of a multimedia file FM froma second terminal T2 to the storage server SSM and notification of thestorage of the multimedia file FM to the first terminal T1. It comprisessteps 10 to 17 shown in FIG. 2.

It is assumed that the user of the terminal T1 has reserved beforehand astorage zone ZPU in the server SSM and has imposed a minimum size TM ofthe multimedia files to be stored, either directly or through theintermediary of the operator of the network RA1. The minimum size TM isa priori larger than the size of memory available in the mobile terminalT1 for storing a short text message with large size.

In a first variant of the first method, the multimedia file FM to betransmitted is switched by the sorting center CTM.

The user of the terminal T2 transmits a message MT2 containing themultimedia file FM from the terminal T2 in the step 10. The message MT2is in the form of an MMS message if the terminal T2 is a radiotelephoneterminal or in the form of an e-mail message if the terminal T2 is apersonal computer, for example. To be more precise, the transmittedmessage MT2 contains, in addition to the multimedia file FM, includingthe name and the type of the file FM, the address AT1, i.e. thetelephone number, of the destination terminal T1, an identifier ID2 ofthe sending terminal T2, such as the name of the user of the terminal T2or the address and/or the telephone number of the terminal T2, and atext block BT describing characteristics of the multimedia file FMand/or the reason for transmitting the file FM, for example. The messageMT2 is routed conventionally through the access network RA2 to thesorting center CTM in the step 10.

The sorting center CTM analyzes the received message MT2 only if amultimedia file is detected therein in the step 11. The sorting centerextracts from the message MT2 firstly the data relating to the terminaladdress AT1, the user identifier ID2 and the text block BT and secondlythe multimedia file FM.

In the next step 12, the sorting center CTM evaluates the size of themultimedia file FM detected in the message MT2 and compares it to theminimum size TM. If the multimedia file has a size smaller than theminimum size MT, the sorting center CTM establishes a notificationcommand CN including all the data from the message MT2, including thesmall multimedia file, to the notification server SN, as indicated inthe step 13.

If the evaluated size of the multimedia file FM is greater than theminimum size TM in the step 12 the sorting center CTM switches theextracted multimedia file FM to the public zone ZPU in the storageserver SSM for the latter to store the multimedia file in correspondingrelationship to the extracted address AT1 of the destination terminalT1, as indicated in the steps 14 and 15 in FIG. 2.

In the example, the sorting center CTM sets up a notification command CNin parallel with the switching of the extracted multimedia file FM tothe server SSM. The notification command CN includes all the data AT1,ID2 and BT contained in the received message MT2 except the multimediafile FM. The notification command CN established in this way istransmitted by the sorting center CTM to the notification server SN inthe step 16. The notification server SN, which is a short messageserver, extracts the address AT1 of the terminal T1 from the receivednotification command CN in order to transmit it, by way of a destinationaddress identifying the terminal T1, to the home location register (HLR)of the radiotelephone network RA1. The home location register reads thetemporary mobile station identity (TMSI) assigned to the mobile terminalT1 and the address of the mobile service switching center to which theterminal T1 is temporarily connected.

After the step 13 or 16, the server SN encapsulates the identity TMSItransmitted by the home location register HLR and the data ID2 and BT,and where appropriate a small file FM, included in the receivednotification command CN in a short message serving as a multimedia filestorage notification NSFM in the step 17. Reception of the short messageNSFM therefore notifies the user of the terminal T1 that the attachmentto the message MT2 consisting of the multimedia file FM has been sent tohim by another user and, if the steps 14 to 16 have been effected, hasbeen stored in his public storage zone ZPU in the server SSM. The userconsults and recovers the multimedia file FM subsequently, as will beexplained with reference to FIG. 3.

The first method for accessing a multimedia file as described above withreference to FIG. 2 is also applicable in a second variant by replacingthe message sorting center CTM with the web server SW. The publicstorage zone ZPU assigned to the user of the terminal T1 in the serverSSM is then accessible through the Internet RP after the user of theterminal T2 has been sent the address ASW of the server SW and thepassword MP for accessing the zone ZPU. In the step 10, the user of theterminal T2 wishing to deposit a multimedia file FM in the server SSMcalls the server SW by entering the address ASW and then the password MPfollowing an invitation message from the server SW. After validation bythe server SW of the password MP transmitted by the terminal T2 in orderto authorize deposition of the message MT2, the terminal T2 transmitsthe message MT2 (AT1, ID2, BT, FM) to the server SW.

As in steps 11 to 15, the server SW analyzes the message MT2 and orientsthe extracted multimedia file FM to store it in the public zone ZPU ofthe server SSM if the size of the multimedia file FM exceeds the minimumsize TM. If the multimedia file has a size smaller than the minimum sizeTM, the server SSM establishes a notification command CN including allthe data of the message MT2, including the small multimedia file, to thenotification server SN, as indicated in the step 13. The server SW theninforms the notification server SN by means of a notification command CNthat the user of the terminal T2 has transmitted a multimedia file FM inthe form of attachments, in a manner analogous to step 16. Then, in thestep 17, the notification server SN sends a multimedia file storagenotification NSFM in the form of a short message to the terminal T1 toindicate to the user thereof that the multimedia file FM has beendeposited by the user of the terminal T2 in his storage zone ZPU in theserver SSM.

In one particular embodiment, the dialog between the terminal T2 and theserver SW is more user friendly in accordance with a client-serverconcept, the terminal T2 being a mobile or fixed terminal of the clienttype and the web server SW playing the server role. The interfaceoffered to the user of the terminal T2 is “light” in this embodiment,for example of the Windows (Registered Trade Mark) type. In thisembodiment, the user of the terminal T2 deposits a multimedia file FM inthe public storage zone ZPU by:

selecting a “deposit multimedia file” menu,

entering the address AT1, i.e. the telephone number of the terminal T1,or selecting it in a directory of the terminal T2, and

entering his identity and the password MP if it is requested by anapplet type small application implemented in the terminal T2.

The application then automatically converts the address AT1 into theInternet (IP) address or URL address ASW of the web server SW and thentransfers the extracted multimedia file FM from the zone ZPU to the zoneZPR.

In another variant, the multimedia file storage server SSM is replacedby a memory space in a fixed terminal, such as the station BO, linked tothe user possessing the mobile terminal T1. The sorting center CTM orthe web server SW then transmits the extracted multimedia file FM to thefixed terminal to store it there in the step 15. The user consults orrecovers the multimedia file FM stored locally.

Recovering a multimedia file FM in the storage zone ZPU or ZPR assignedto the user of the terminal T1 in the server SSM comprises steps 20 to26 shown in FIG. 3.

To access the storage zone ZPU or ZPR, in the step 20, the user selectsa specific menu in the terminal T1 or presses a predetermined key on histerminal T1, which may in one embodiment be limited to switching on theterminal T1.

The terminal T1 verifies in the next step 21 if it is in the coveragearea of the station BO. If the terminal T1 and the station BO do notdetect each other, the terminal T1 decides to set up a connection withthe web server SW through the radiotelephone network RA1 in the step 22,after validation of the user. Otherwise, in the step 23 the station BOthat has detected the terminal T1 in its coverage area sets up aconnection with the web server SW directly through the access networkRAF, such as an ADSL.

After setting up the connection between the terminal T1 and the serverSW in the step 22 or 23, a request to download a multimedia file FMcontained in the storage zone ZPU or ZPR through the web server SW isauthorized, in the step 24, only if the server SW has recognized theaddress AT1 of the terminal T1 supplied by the network RA1 or RP. Adialog is then initiated between the server SSM and the terminal T1through the network RA1 or the station BO and the network RAF and theserver SW in order for the user to command the downloading into theterminal T1 of one or more multimedia files FM in the step 25. Afterdownloading each multimedia file, in the step 26, the terminal T1acknowledges the storage of the multimedia file in the terminal T1 tothe server SW.

As shown in FIG. 4, the storage of a multimedia file FM in the storagezone ZPR or ZPU assigned to the user of the terminal T1 in the storageserver SSM comprises steps 30 to 39.

A request to store a multimedia file in the server SSM is triggered, inthe step E30, by pressing a predetermined key on the terminal T1 or thevalidation of a menu on the screen of the terminal T1. In the next step31, analogous to the step 21, the terminal T1 decides to set up aconnection with the server SW via the station BO and the access networkRAF or via the radiotelephone network RA1 after validation of the userof the terminal T1.

If the terminal T1 is not detected by the station BO, a choice isoffered on the screen of the terminal T1 between immediate downloadingof the multimedia file to the radiotelephone network RA1 and deferreddownloading, in the step 32. If the user decides on immediate connectionof the terminal T1 to the network RA1, the terminal T1 is connected tothe server SW through the network RA1 in the step 33. If the userrefuses the immediate connection, the terminal T1 retains thedownloading request and the characteristics of the multimedia file to bedownloaded specified in the step 30 in memory during an intermediatestep 34 until the station BO detects in its coverage area the terminalT1 in the step 35.

As soon as the terminal T1 and the station BO have detected each otherin the step 31 or 35, the station BO connects the terminal T1 throughthe access network RAF to the web server SW in the step 36.

Then, in the step 37 following the connection step 33 or 36, a requestto download a multimedia file FM for the storage zone ZPU or ZPR throughthe web server SW is authorized only if the server SW has recognized theaddress AT1 of the terminal T1 supplied by the network RA1 or RP. In thenext step 38 the terminal T1 transmits the multimedia file FM throughthe network RA1, or the station BO and the network RAF, to the webserver SW, which directs it to the server SSM and more precisely to thestorage zone ZPU or ZPR assigned to the user of the terminal T1 andselected in the step 30. The server SW then acknowledges the downloadingof the multimedia file FM to the terminal T1 in the step 39.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described with referenceto FIGS. 1 to 4.

The notification server SN is not limited to a short message server and,in another embodiment, may be replaced by a gateway GPRS support node(GGSN) and a serving GPRS support node (SGSN) interconnected by ageneral packet radio service (GPRS) packet network that is connected tothe home location register as well as to a plurality of base stationcontrollers of the radiotelephone network RA1. The gateway node GGSN isconnected to the message sorting center CTM by a dedicated connectionand to the web server SW through the Internet RP.

According to other examples, the mobile terminal T1 may be a personalmobile telecommunication tool or device such as a personal digitalassistant (PDA) or a portable microcomputer equipped with a cellularradiotelephone send-receive module.

1. A system for access to multimedia files through a telecommunicationnetwork from a mobile radiotelephone terminal for which are intendedmessages, each message including an address of said mobile terminal anda multimedia file transmitted by second terminal, said system includinga server for detecting a multimedia file in a message transmitted bysaid second terminal in order to extract therefrom said address of saidmobile terminal and the detected multimedia file, to store saidmultimedia file extracted from said message in storage space, andnotification means for transmitting a multimedia file storagenotification to said mobile terminal identified by said addressextracted from said message, said storage space being assigned to a userof said mobile terminal and being accessible to said mobile terminalthrough said server in order for said multimedia file extracted fromsaid message to be stored in said storage means correspondingrelationship with said address of said mobile terminal extracted fromsaid message, and said mobile terminal accessing the stored multimediafile only if said server has recognized said address of said mobileterminal supplied after the setting up of a connection between saidmobile terminal and said servers.
 2. A system according to claim 1,wherein said storage space is divided into a private zone for storingmultimedia files accessible only to said user of said mobile terminaland a public zone for storing multimedia files accessible to a user ofsecond terminal.
 3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the detectedmultimedia file extracted from said message is transferred from saidpublic zone to said private zoned.
 4. A system according to claim 1,wherein said server is arranged for validating a password transmitted bysaid second terminal before the transmission of said message by saidsecond terminal before detecting a multimedia file in said message.
 5. Amethod of access to multimedia files through a telecommunication networkfrom a mobile radiotelephone terminal for which are intended messages,each message including an address of said mobile terminal and amultimedia file transmitted by second terminals, said method includingthrough said telecommunication network the steps of: detecting amultimedia file in a message transmitted by said second terminal inorder to extract therefrom said address of said mobile terminal and thedetected multimedia file, storing said multimedia file extracted fromsaid message, notifying multimedia file storage by a notificationtransmitted to said mobile terminal identified by said address extractedfrom said message, and assigning a storage space accessible to saidmobile terminal through said telecommunication network in order for saidmultimedia file extracted from said message to be stored therein incorresponding relationship with said address of said mobile terminalextracted from said message, and said mobile terminal to access thestored multimedia file only if said address of said mobile terminalsupplied after the setting up of a connection with said mobile terminalis recognized.
 6. A method according to claim 5, including an evaluationof the size of said multimedia file detected in said message in orderfor said notification to be sent, said multimedia file being included insaid notification if said size of said multimedia file is less than aminimum size.
 7. A method according to claim 5, including access to saidmultimedia file by means of said mobile terminal, said multimedia filebeing stored in corresponding relationship with the extracted address insaid storage space assigned to said mobile terminal, via a serverthrough a radiotelephone network to which said mobile terminal belongsif said mobile terminal is not detected by a station having ashort-range connection with said mobile terminal, and through saidstation if said mobile terminal is detected by said station.
 8. A methodaccording to claim 5, including access to said multimedia file saidmobile terminal, said multimedia file being stored in correspondingrelationship with the extracted address in said storage space assignedto said mobile terminal, via a server through a radiotelephone networkto which said mobile terminal belongs if said mobile terminal is notdetected by a station having a short-range connection with said mobileterminal and a user of said mobile terminal decides on immediateconnection of said mobile terminal to said radiotelephone network, andthrough said station said mobile terminal is detected by said station,including when said user refuses said immediate connection.
 9. A methodaccording to claim 5, wherein a user accesses said storage space that isassigned to him to consult and delete multimedia files in said storagespace from any terminal including said mobile terminal.
 10. A methodaccording to claim 7, wherein, if said message includes a text block,said notification further includes said text block.
 11. A server foraccess to multimedia files through a telecommunication network from amobile radiotelephone terminal for which are intended messages eachincluding an address of said mobile terminal and a multimedia filetransmitted by second terminals, said server being adapted to detect amultimedia file in a message transmitted by said second terminal inorder to extract therefrom said address of said mobile terminal, and thedetected multimedia file to store said multimedia file extracted fromsaid message in storage space, said server being adapted to notifymultimedia file storage by a notification to said mobile terminalidentified by said address, said storage space that is assigned to auser of said mobile terminal and that is accessible to said mobileterminal through said server in order for said multimedia file extractedfrom said message to be stored therein in corresponding relationshipwith said address of said mobile terminal extracted from said message,said mobile terminal accessing said stored multimedia file only if saidserver has recognized said address of said mobile terminal suppliedafter the setting up of a connection between said mobile terminal andsaid server.
 12. A server according to claim 11, characterized whereinsaid storage space is divided into a private zone for storing multimediafiles accessible only to said user of said mobile terminal and a publiczone for storing multimedia files accessible to a user of secondterminal.
 13. A server according to claim 11, further including meansfor evaluating the size of said multimedia file detected in said messagein order for said notification to be sent, said multimedia file beingincluded therein if said size thereof is less than a minimum size.
 14. Acomputer readable medium or storage device including a computer programadapted to be implemented in a storage server adapted to storemultimedia files accessible through a telecommunication network from amobile radiotelephone terminal for which are intended messages eachincluding an address of said mobile terminal and a multimedia filetransmitted by second terminals, said program including programinstructions which, when said program is executed in said server, carryout the following steps: detecting a multimedia file in a messagetransmitted by said second terminal in order to extract therefrom saidaddress of said mobile terminal and the detected multimedia filed,storing said multimedia file extracted from said message, notifyingmultimedia file storage by a notification transmitted to said mobileterminal identified by said address, and access said stored multimediafile only if said web server has recognized said address of said mobileterminal supplied after the setting up of a connection between saidmobile terminal and said server.
 15. A method according to claim 6,including access to said multimedia file by means of said mobileterminal, said multimedia file being stored in correspondingrelationship with the extracted address in said storage space assignedto said mobile terminal, via a server through a radiotelephone networkto which said mobile terminal belongs if said mobile terminal is notdetected by a station having a short-range connection with said mobileterminal, and through said station if said mobile terminal is detectedby said station.
 16. A method according to claim 6, including access tosaid multimedia file by said mobile terminal, said multimedia file beingstored in corresponding relationship with the extracted address in saidstorage space assigned to said mobile terminal, via a server through aradiotelephone network to which said mobile terminal belongs if saidmobile terminal is not detected by a station having a short-rangeconnection with said mobile terminal and a user of said mobile terminaldecides on immediate connection of said mobile terminal to saidradiotelephone network, and through said station if said mobile terminalis detected by said station, including when said user refuses saidimmediate connection.
 17. A method according to claim 7, includingaccess to said multimedia file by said mobile terminal, said multimediafile being stored in corresponding relationship with the extractedaddress in said storage space assigned to said mobile terminal, via aserver through a radiotelephone network to which said mobile terminalbelongs if said mobile terminal is not detected by a station having ashort-range connection with said mobile terminal and a user of saidmobile terminal decides on immediate connection of said mobile terminalto said radiotelephone network, and through said station if said mobileterminal is detected by said station, including when said user refusessaid immediate connection.
 18. A server according to claim 12, furtherincluding means for evaluating the size of said multimedia file detectedin said message in order for said notification to be sent, saidmultimedia file being included therein if said size thereof is less thana minimum size.